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Firoz Cachalia Questions Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s Combat Press Appearance
A press conference that shocked Parliament
When Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia took his seat before Parliament’s inquiry this week, he didn’t mince words.
The image of KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi standing before cameras in full combat uniform, firearm in view, had clearly lingered in his mind since July 6.
“His appearance before the public in full military regalia worried me,” Cachalia told MPs. “That kind of public statement was not ordinary or appropriate. The police have command structures, a national commissioner, a minister, and a president.”
Cachalia’s remarks were part of his testimony to the parliamentary inquiry probing the allegations Mkhwanazi made during that July press briefing, a moment that would ripple through the country’s law-enforcement leadership.
From a press room to a political storm
Mkhwanazi’s explosive briefing earlier this year led to the suspension of former Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and, soon after, to Cachalia’s appointment on 1 August. The commissioner’s claims about alleged criminal infiltration in policing structures shocked the public and prompted the launch of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
Cachalia admitted that when he was still working at Wits University, he hadn’t followed the parliamentary proceedings closely and was unaware that Mkhwanazi had previously shared his concerns in a March session before the Police Portfolio Committee.
‘Respect for authority is essential’
While acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations, Cachalia told the inquiry that professional conduct requires respect for established authority. “If those allegations were to be sustained, he would have been vindicated; he would have been shown to be a whistleblower,” he said.
At the same time, Cachalia acknowledged that in “extreme situations” when traditional norms fail to deliver justice, society needs bold officials willing to tell the truth, “whatever the consequence might be visited on them personally.”
Waiting for the truth to emerge
The Acting Minister revealed that he has been closely following testimony at both the Madlanga Commission and the ongoing parliamentary hearings. He described the evidence presented, including that from three witnesses who testified behind closed doors, as “very alarming” and “deeply concerning.”
Still, he cautioned against premature conclusions. “Despite the concerns that I and the public have about evidence already in the public domain, my own posture is to wait for both the inquiry and the Commission to conclude,” he said.
Cachalia added that the outcome of these investigations will help clarify “what really happened over the last few years in the SAPS and more generally.”
Inside meetings with SAPS leadership
During his testimony, Cachalia confirmed that he had met with National Commissioner Fannie Masemola and General Mkhwanazi to discuss the fate of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT). The unit was reportedly disbanded under Mchunu’s tenure, sparking concern about unresolved case dockets.
“I was concerned that it was in the public domain that the task team had been disbanded,” he said. “I was not sure what happened to the dockets.”
Cachalia explained that his meetings aimed to understand the reasoning behind the decision, Masemola’s relationship with Mchunu, and whether the team’s work had been properly reassigned or abandoned.
A department under scrutiny
As both the parliamentary and Madlanga inquiries continue, the SAPS faces a reckoning over accountability, command discipline, and the blurred line between authority and independence. Cachalia’s stance reflects a delicate balance, defending institutional order while recognising the courage of those who expose potential wrongdoing within it.
For now, the nation waits for the findings that could reshape South Africa’s policing landscape in the months ahead.
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: News24
